Unique H2O Vortex in One New MOF Material Strengthening C3H6 Adsorption and Unprecedented Purification from C2H4/C3H8/C3H6 Mixtures

Abstract The gradual separation of the naphtha steam cracking product (propane/propylene/ethylene, C 3 H 8 /C 3 H 6 /C 2 H 4 ) to obtain highly pure C 3 H 6 is of great significance as it provides an alternative process for this important industrial feedstock. However, developing adsorbents to meet the efficient separation and purification application remains challenging. A water coordination‐decorated metal–organic framework (MOF, Cd‐dtzip‐H 2 O) material is reported. Interestingly, water molecules cooperate with the framework to build a water vortex and significantly affect the preferential adsorption for C 3 H 6 . At 298 K and 100 kPa, the loading of C 3 H 6 in the material is 112.0 cm 3 g −1 , equivalent to 1.7 and 2.0 times of C 3 H 8 and C 2 H 4 , respectively. Experimental breakthroughs show that the material efficiently separates C 3 H 6 /C 3 H 8 and C 3 H 6 /C 2 H 4 under different pressures. Meanwhile, it also unprecedentedly achieves the one‐step separation of C 2 H 4 /C 3 H 8 /C 3 H 6 mixtures yielding high‐purity C 3 H 6 (99.9%) and C 2 H 4 (99.95%) products with the productivities of 38.2 and 12.7 L kg −1 , respectively.